WAPDA, SNGPL set to play for title

Rawalpindi: Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) are set to play the final of the President’s Trophy Grade-I at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, from February 9 to 13.

WAPDA and SNGPL qualified for the final after topping the points table following seven rounds of matches, with all seven departmental teams playing six matches each. WAPDA, with five wins out of six, had 62 points, whereas SNGPL had 57 points owing to four wins and a drawn result.

Iftikhar Ahmed will be captaining WAPDA while SNGPL will be led by Asad Shafiq.

Umar Akmal is currently leading the run charts for WAPDA, after amassing 489 runs in six games. Left-arm spinner Asif Afridi has been the most successful bowler for the team, grabbing 32 wickets in five games – the second highest of the tournament so far, behind Ghani Glass’ Mohammad Rameez Jnr’s tally of 42 wickets.

Abid Ali is the top-scorer for SNGPL with 532 runs in six games. Leg-spinner Arif Yaqoob and right-arm pacer Mohammad Ali are the joint-highest wicket-takers for SNGPL thus far; Arif bagged 19 scalps in three games while Ali equaled the tally in six games.

WAPDA will be heading into the final on the back of a three-wicket win against Pakistan Television (PTV), which came in the last round of the President’s Trophy. In the same round, SNGPL also claimed a dominant 109-run win over Higher Education Commission (HEC).